April 23, 2010 by Kelly.

I am reading a life-changing book right now. How do I know it’s life-changing? Because I can’t just zip through it. I find myself stopping every few pages and going back to re-read them. I’m underlining (in pen) sentences that make me say, “Yes!” or “Amen!” or “I never thought of that before.” There is only one other book that makes me do all those things, and that’s my Bible.

What book am I reading? Hearing God’s Voice, by Henry and Richard Blackaby.

This morning I read about “spiritual markers.”

“Spiritual markers identify times of transition, decision, or direction when you know God clearly guided you. … There are many ways to denote spiritual markers in your life. One method is to write the date and a brief notation beside the verses in your Bible as God speaks to you through them. … Write the date down beside the verse so when times become difficult, you can look back in your Bible and remember the day God made this promise.”

If you could see my computer desk, you’d understand why this concept jumped out at me. The right corner of my desk holds eight mini sticky notes, each with a Bible verse on it. These verses all spoke to me at some point over the past month or two. I thought I was doing good to write them out and place them where I could see them daily, to remind me of God’s Truth. I see now that I should take this a step further and note the date in my Bible!

Philippians 2:3-4 and Ephesians 5:21 are both great verses for those in leadership to keep in mind. I’ve been thinking about leadership lately, as I’ve volunteered to lead my local homeschool group starting in August 2010. I’ve not yet been “voted in,” but these verses remind me that it’s not about me–it’s about the group, and what God has planned for it. I want what’s best for the group, whether that means I lead or someone else leads. I will submit myself to the other ladies regardless of my role.

I found Proverbs 16:3 as I was preparing to release an ebook. I wanted to make sure I was doing everything properly, and legally, and at times I would get overwhelmed or confused about what to do next in the process. Once I committed the project to God, my mind cleared and the ebook is now published and available for purchase.

Psalm 86:11 came to me as I was praying about leading the local homeschool group. I wanted to be sure I was following God’s will for my life. I sought to keep my heart focused on Him and His plan.

There are others, such as Acts 4:12, which is my favorite Bible verse, and 2 Timothy 2:16, which I’m not sure why I wrote down–perhaps I need to examine my thoughts and speech!

As I read my Bible, I come across verses that I’ve noted in the past. I can remember the situations I was experiencing, and I can now “see” how God worked things out. How I wish I had dated those verses! As I look at “where I’ve been” I can more clearly see where God is leading. Now, when an opportunities arise, I can see which ones are most consistent with what God has already been doing in my life.

Do you have spiritual markers? Leave a comment and share some of them with me! I can already tell that this is going to be a great asset to my quiet time, and I hope it is (or will be) to yours as well.

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April 1, 2010 by Kelly.

For the past month, this dog has been wandering around our neighborhood. He’d often come to our yard and play with my children, or follow us as we walked around the neighborhood. Because of the “colors” in his fur, my children named him Skittles. Sometimes we’d go days without seeing him, then he’d be back for a couple days, sleeping by the fence next door or near a fire hydrant a block away.

After a couple weeks we figured he had a home and just kept getting out. He didn’t look malnourished or dirty; he was always happy and friendly. But we didn’t know where he lived, and he didn’t have a collar. None of the other neighbors that I spoke with knew where he lived although they’d seen him wandering around. It was thought that he lived at the end of our street, but no one seemed to know which house.

My children wanted to take him in until we could find his owner, but that just wasn’t possible–he obviously went home at times, and I didn’t want to stop him. They enjoyed having Skittles “visit” them a few times a week. We even set out water for him because it was so hot this past week.

Tuesday, 3/30/10, Skittles ventured out of our neighborhood and was hit by a car. My 9-year-old was devastated when he heard the news. He loved that dog.

Does your dog have a collar and a tag? Just a simple phone number is all that’s needed. If Skittles had been tagged, I would have called to find out where he lived. I would have let my children put him in our fenced pool area until I knew his owners were home, and then we would have walked him home. I would have done that over and over, however many times he got out.

We still don’t know who Skittles belonged to, or if they even know he’s never coming home again. Please, please put a collar on your dog, and put your phone number on the tag so that your dog doesn’t end up like Skittles.

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March 16, 2010 by Kelly.

I’m trying very hard to keep my writing muscles flexing these days. I have two other blogs besides this one (The Unofficial Weaver Blog, and another HOME Writer site for reviewing books), and I manage our church’s Facebook page. Then there’s my homeschooling site, The Unofficial Weaver Pages, and my newest endeavor: Hub Pages Author. Right now I have seven articles posted:

• Exercising Your Muscles
• Patience and Forgiveness
• A Servant’s Heart
• Organization: Expanding the Definition
• 10 Things We Wish We Could Organize
• H.O.M.E. Review: Online Organizing.com
• Meet the Professional Organizer: Ramona Creel

I hope you’ll take time to visit these various sites and read my work. Leave a comment or drop me an email and let me know if you have a specific topic you’d like to see addressed.

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March 8, 2010 by Kelly.

I am a computer-literate person. You could say I am an advanced user. I can usually figure out how to work electronic things pretty easily. But today they got the best of me.

It started with a printer that just kept beeping at me. Looking back I think I know what the problem was (print settings on the computer), but at the time I was left scratching my head and pushing buttons to see if anything would print. Nothing did.

Then I tried to send a file to the color printer. This required telling it to “hold” the file until I came to push the buttons that make it print. It also required typing in a code for the department doing the printing. I clicked through a couple screens with no problems, and scrolled down to fill out some info… and became confused about where to place the code. Cancel that action.

I opened a file only to find out there were some incompatibilities on the machine I was using. Saved the file and tried to set up a merge, only to glance at the clock and see that it was 4:58pm. No time!

At least I was able to update some data, change some content, set up a few birthday reminders, reword our section of the bulletin, and print some envelopes–yes, I finally got that copier to quit beeping at me! Not a totally lost afternoon.

Walking in my front door, all I wanted to do was sit and not think. A mindless game on Facebook would be nice. But, supper needed to be made, and the kitchen needed to be cleaned up, and I was the elected candidate.

As I cooked, I prayed. Lord, I felt so stupid! I know I’m not stupid, though. Look at how much I got done in the short time I was there. I served You to the best of my ability. I could almost feel the pat on my back.

Why are we so quick to tear ourselves down? If it were someone else, we wouldn’t be tearing them down, and we certainly wouldn’t let anyone else tear them down. We saw how much was accomplished. Yes, it could have been a little more, but machines can be fickle due to human error or program glitches.

• I am not perfect.
• I kept my cool during the situation.
• I managed to get the machine to work for at least one project.
• God still loves me.
• I can ask for help with the projects I didn’t get done.
• I will not let the enemy beat me down and make me feel ignorant.
• I am a child of the Most High!

“I will rise on eagle’s wings” as the song goes.  “Before my God, fall on my knees.” He knows my heart. I seek to serve Him, and I can sleep tonight because I accomplished that today. Tomorrow, Christ will shine on me as I serve Him once again. I will rise!

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February 7, 2010 by Kelly.

I’ve learned to smile politely when someone asks me that–and I get asked that at least once a week! Personally, I don’t think I’m doing that much. I still have downtime, and I still waste time playing games on the computer, so I can’t be as busy as people think I am.

That’s the key: “as people think I am.”

I am busy, that is true, but exactly how busy I am depends on the person asking the question. I’ve come to understand that we view the lives of others with my-life-tinted glasses. In other words, we believe other people are doing things similar to what we’re doing, plus all the things they are doing, too.

I don’t watch much TV–when I do, I’m often crocheting or working on my computer at the same time. I don’t cook elaborate meals–if I have food cooking in the oven I try to wash dishes or read the paper while I wait. I don’t entertain guests, or grandchildren–as much as we’d like to entertain, our home is not quite ready for that… and we don’t have grandchildren yet. I don’t teach any classes at church, therefore I don’t need to prepare during the week. All of my writing deadlines are self-imposed right now–I’m not writing for publication at this time. As much as I love to sew, I only do it sporadically–maybe a couple times a year, when I decide I need a new dress. I don’t read as much as I used to–except for my Bible, which I read just about every day. Although I exercise regularly, it’s not every day. My children are not involved in sports, and they don’t take any music or art lessons right now–plus my son has his license so he can run errands for me if needed, which cuts down on my car-time.

So, if you look at all the things I don’t do, it’s easy to see how I do all the things I do. 

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January 16, 2010 by Kelly.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.”

~Acts 1:8a

It was a “light bulb moment.” My children and I were studying the life of Jesus, and we read Matthew 5:16 (”In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”) I blurted out, “Our light source is God, and we have the choice of either being AC (accepting Christ) or DC (declining Christ). My children just stared at me, so I went on.

“When we accept Christ into our hearts, we tap into His power. We no longer rely on ourselves to get through life’s trials. We ‘plug in’ by reading the Bible, serving others, and gathering as a church. By accepting Christ, we have the potential to let our light shine steadily.” They looked like they were starting to understand, so I continued. “When we decline Christ, we don’t look for–or to–Him. All our energy is focused on ourselves. We don’t understand the message preached at church, and our Bibles lay unopened. We don’t ‘plug in’ because we’re running on our own batteries.”

They understood. They know the difference between batteries and electricity. They know the benefits of being plugged in. They are AC.

Lord, help me to be a light for You today. Fill me with Your Spirit, Your energy, Your love. Let me plug into You, and shine Your Light to the world.

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January 6, 2010 by Kelly.

On January 3rd, 2005, I began going through Search the Scriptures: A Three-year Bible Study Course for my daily devotions. Sometimes I’ll set it aside to do other devotional books, but I always come back to this book and pick-up wherever I left off. It’s not been an easy task. Although the book only asks two or three questions per passage studied, some of those questions really make me think!

I struggle with some of the questions–not because they point out sin in my life (which they do!), but because they don’t seem to make sense to me. I re-read the passage; I read it out loud. I re-read the question; I read it out loud… the point the author is trying to make still eludes me and I get frustrated. It can’t be that hard, can it?! There are no answers, so I can’t check to see where the author is going with his question.

There have been times when I try so hard to wrap my brain around the question that it brings me to tears. Lord, what am I missing? I just don’t get it! After I change my attitude from anxiousness to acceptance, my frustration levels drop and I can move on with my studies. Show me what You want me to learn. That attitude change often comes slowly.

Why do I get so frustrated? This flaw in my character has been a thorn in my side for a few years now–until a few days ago.

My daughter brought me a paper she had written. As I read over it, and mentally thought of all I wanted to correct on it, I remembered past times that I’d corrected her work.  It left her in tears. No, I wasn’t harsh, and I didn’t use a red pen. My daughter–who is the most willing to do her school work–is the most sensitive to correction. She will get so frustrated because she can’t seem to wrap her mind around a math concept, or she will forget basic grammar/spelling rules.

After I went over all the corrections to her paper and she didn’t cry, I looked at her and said, “You don’t know how hard that was for me.” I thanked her for not taking it personally, for allowing me to correct her. I reminded her that if she knew all the answers, and everything came easy to her, she wouldn’t need me to teach her.

I am so glad that God corrects me. I have so much to learn! It is my prayer that it will be easier for me to change my attitude from anxiousness to acceptance whenever I don’t understand something. It is my prayer that I will seek out the answers, dig for the truth, and search the scriptures until I do understand.

The thorn is still there, but at least it is now bearable.

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April 29, 2009 by Kelly.

I’m not talking about when it’s full of food; I want to know what prevents you from sharing Christ. I’ve got a few of my own issues, which I’ll share, but I’d love to hear from YOU. What closes your mouth, and keeps you silent when the opportunity to share Christ comes along? Our pastor posed that question during a recent sermon–and it’s a mighty good question, too! Perhaps if I share what closes my mouth, you’ll share what closes yours…

1. Fear -
   • …of saying the wrong thing.
   • …of stuttering.
   • …of being laughed at.
   • …of offending.
2. Assumptions - It’s easy to assume that the person you’re talking to already knows about Christ.
3. Distractions - The phone is ringing; it’s your turn at the check-out counter and there’s a line forming behind you; a child is crying; the list is endless.

The funny thing is, I can get around all of the above issues within five minutes of leaving the person I was interacting with!

Fear of saying the wrong thing. In Luke 12:12, Jesus taught His disciples not to worry about what to say in times like this–the Holy Spirit would put words into their mouths. A quick prayer is all it takes to place God’s words in your mouth.

Fear of stuttering. Yes, I’ve stumbled over words before, but it usually helps to break the ice. The listener sees that I’m human and have faults, just like her. Take a deep breath and stay calm.

Fear of being laughed at. No one likes to feel foolish, but if you are speaking God’s Truth you are wise. Proverbs 29:9 tells us that there will be no rest if you contend with a foolish man. Speak the Truth, and see what reaction you get. If you get no rest, be still and let the Holy Spirit work in their heart.

Fear of offending. Would you rather not offend and let that person suffer in eternity?! This shouldn’t even be on the list, but it often is–”How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

Assuming the person already knows about Christ. This is an easy assumption to make, for me at least. The majority of the people whom I come into contact with are already believers. I guess this is stereo-typical of me, and it’s an assumption I need to break.

Distractions that interrupt the conversation. By the time I overcome my fears, and stop assuming, the distractions begin. Is the person on the phone really more important than sharing Christ with someone? When I’m finished at the check-out, would it be so terrible to wait for the person behind me that I was talking to? I can hug my child at the same time I’m talking to someone else–usually that’s what they need, a hug. As long as they’re not bleeding or about to throw up, I should be trying to finish my conversation.

How would you encourage me to get past my issues? Do you have any sage advice? Leave a comment below–perhaps your advice will be just what I need!

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April 22, 2009 by Kelly.

Not to long ago our pastor spoke on taking up our cross, so I found it interesting when my personal studies at the time took me to the book of Jonah.

Back in Old Testament times, there were specific people called by God to be prophets. These guys heard God’s voice plainly (how I long for that!) and everyone knew it– being a prophet was their occupation. As a prophet, they said “no” to self and gave up their Right of Ownership to their own lives. Prophets received plenty of rejection, from kings, political leaders, and people in their community. They knew it wouldn’t be easy to be a prophet, and they knew they wouldn’t be the most popular person at times. Prophets surrendered all they had to God.

Jonah was a prophet in spirit and occupation. But, one day he decided to quit…

Imagine you have a vile, mean neighbor. For some of you that may not be too hard to imagine. This neighbor kicks his dog, screams at his children, let’s his trash blow into your yard, and calls the police whenever you have company and your guests park in front of his house. We won’t even talk about the language he uses, the pictures he has in his garage (which is often open) or the type of trash that is blowing into your yard.

One day, during your quiet time, as you read your Bible, a thought occurs to you: “Tell your neighbor about Me.”

“Excuse me?”

“Tell your neighbor about Me.”

“Oh, Lord, anything but that! I’ll serve in a soup kitchen, I’ll paint the homeless shelter, I’ll even pass out tracts on the street corner, but don’t make me talk to my neighbor!”

“I love him, just like I love you. Tell him about Me so he has the opportunity to repent.”

“Love him? Lord, are we talking about the same guy?!”

“Tell him about Me.”

And so the conversation goes, with you giving excuses and God persisting in His command to tell. Do you talk to your neighbor, or do you avoid the chair where you were sitting the day you heard God’s command?

Jonah chose to run away. Nineveh was full of evil people. I haven’t looked into it, but it’s been suggested that the people of Nineveh would partake in the destruction of Israel at a later time–Jonah knew this and wanted God to condemn them now so they wouldn’t have the chance to destroy Israel.

No, Jonah didn’t like the people of Nineveh. He didn’t want them to have the opportunity to repent and be saved. He was so full of hatred for them he failed to see them through God’s eyes. God loved them. He didn’t like how they lived, but he loved them nonetheless. He wanted them to repent and be saved, and He told Jonah to go and cry out against them.

You know what happens next. Jonah flees. He quits his job as prophet and hops a boat for Tarshish. But, God wants Nineveh to hear of Him, so He whips up a storm. Jonah does a little repenting himself and offers himself as a sacrifice to the sea. He’s thrown overboard, and the waves calm. Jonah sinks into the depths of the waters… probably thinking, this is my punishment–death. But God still wants Nineveh saved, so he sends a fish to swallow Jonah and thus begins a three day “time out.”

Can you imagine the conversation Jonah has with himself in the belly of that fish?! When he realizes he’s alive, he probably figures he’ll get out of the fish real quick. As time goes on (and remember, there’s no light in there, so he has no way of keeping track of time) and he realizes that he may be in the fish for awhile, perhaps he started bargaining with God.

Eventually, Jonah gets it through his head that he is a prophet, a job given to him by God. He cannot run away from God. When God wants something done, He makes it happen! Thus Jonah came to the point where he surrendered his life–again–to God. He submits to God’s will for his life, and after getting out of the fish he goes on to Nineveh and the people repent.

Are you waiting for a fish to swallow you? What has God told you to do lately that you just don’t want to do? Perhaps God has asked you to give of your time to a particular church Ministry. Perhaps He wants you to pray daily for the participants of a Mission Project. Perhaps He wants you to get involved in the lives of those in your Sunday school class, or your children’s Sunday school class. Perhaps you play an instrument or sing and He wants you to join the Worship Team.

Maybe God just wants you to smile at somebody. Smile, say “hello,” and be Jesus to someone. Maybe it’s your neighbor. Maybe it’s someone at work or the store. Maybe it’s someone you’ve never seen before in church.

Take that step. Reach out. Because if God wants you to do this, and you don’t do it, the step you take in the opposite direction could lead to a fish!

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April 15, 2009 by Kelly.

It always amazes me when God weaves together a lesson, a sermon, and my own studies of His Word. For example, one Sunday morning our pastor spoke about team work and the importance of the attitude of each team member. King David was an excellent example of a team player, but at times his attitude caused problems. Later that same morning our Sunday school class finished our study of II Thessalonians — a letter which encourages a church to work as a team.

Times were different back in David’s day, and in Paul’s day, too. People’s lives were centered around their beliefs. They worked not only for food, but for the welfare of the community. They didn’t have satellite dishes, cell phones, or other technology. They didn’t have cars, wash machines, or power tools. When they weren’t working, they were either with their family/friends or worshiping–sometimes both.

As the New Testament church began to take shape, Paul reminded them that the Lord had not called them only to become Christians but to be Christians.

When Jesus called the twelve disciples in Matthew 10, He didn’t say, “Okay, I’ve taught you how to be my followers, now you can go home and relax for the rest of your life.” No, He expected them to use that training to preach, teach, heal, and to help other people in and out of the church. Often the disciples went to the people–they met them where the need was. Other times, the people came to the disciples because a friend invited them.

Jesus also didn’t tell the disciples to only work one, two, or four days each week. They were expected to work–to serve God–on a daily basis. (Technically they didn’t “work” on the Sabbath, but I truly believe their thoughts continued to be focused on God that day.) All work was done with a focus on God (”Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” Ecclesiastes 9:10a), regardless of whether it was for payment, for food, or for free. Paul lived this way daily. He wasn’t a free-loader; we shouldn’t be, either.

You may be reading this and thinking I don’t have a clue about your job and what you’re expected to do. True, but I know those people you work with are God’s creations. Their goals are the same as yours: to earn money to provide for their families’ needs. Those whom you work with who are believers are also earning money to tithe with, to further the Kingdom. How you interact with others, how you perform your job, is a direct reflection of your heart. Is your heart full of and seeking God? As you work, do others see Jesus in you? James 1:22 reminds us that we are to not only be hearers and learners, but doers of the Word. Once we know how to be like Christ, we need to do it daily.

The final thread of this tapestry God has woven is my personal studies. I just began the book of Matthew. Chapter two speaks of the time immediately after Jesus’ birth, when the Wise Men were seeking Him. I noticed the difference in how the Wise Men (Gentiles) and the chief priests and scribes (Jews) reacted to His birth. The Wise Men were aware of God, and they listened to His voice. The chief priests and scribes had gotten so used to their way of doing things, they were no longer seeking God’s voice or His face. One group had a team mentality, which focused outside of themselves. The other group was focused on their own desires–they weren’t on God’s team, and their attitudes reflected it.

Whose team are you on? What skills do you possess? Are you using those skills in and out of the church to further God’s Kingdom? Is your attitude one God is pleased with? If you are unsure of where you can best serve God contact your church. They’ll work with you to identify your skills, talents, and abilities; They’ll help you find a place to serve–on God’s team!

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